Posts from the ‘Opposition Analysis’ Category

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NORML Executive Director St. Pierre reacts to the October 7, 2011 press conference of California’s four United States Attorneys.

On October 7, 2011, California’s four United States Attorneys held a historic press conference to announce federal enforcement action against the illegal “medical” marijuana industry. The next day, NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre appeared ready to abandon the movement altogether in favor of outright legalization.

In his post, St. Pierre said: “Rather than pour millions of dollars and human energy into creating a legally and politically contentious policy that allows some cannabis consumers who can obtain a physician’s recommendation to be immune from state (but not federal) prosecution during a time of general Cannabis Prohibition, all cannabis consumers, patients, cultivators and sellers and their families should focus their full attention and resources to once and for all legalizing cannabis for all responsible adult consumers. (emphasis added) Make a donation to NORML now, join a local NORML chapter (there are nearly 200 of them nationwide!) today or purchase a NORML-related product and show the country that you support ending Cannabis Prohibition in our lifetime.”

Like this:

Today a full 16 percent of the U.S. population is dependent on alcohol, nicotine or other drugs. Another 27 percent of the general population engages in use of these substances in ways that put themselves and others at risk, including underage and adult excessive drinking, tobacco use, and misuse of pain relievers, stimulants and depressants. For a staggering 43 percent of the nation, then — nearly every other American — addiction and risky substance use are a matter of public health.

Addiction is America’s number one health care and health cost problem. Approximately 30 percent of our federal and state health care spending is attributable to this disease. Across all government spending, the total financial cost is nearly $500 billion annually.